Senator Aubertine spoke about and defended his record and votes, while challenger Dave Renzi did what he was suppose to do, "challenge" the record of the opponent and lay out a vision for the district if he were to serve the people.
Renzi challenged Aubertine on several issues including reform, property tax cap, and receiving our fair share from New York State government, while Aubertine defended his position on elimination of the STAR rebate check, claiming he represents real change and reform and that he is getting the job done.
Both candidates missed answering several questions and went totally off topic on their answers.
- Aubertine spoke on reforms that have occurred in the Assembly while he was a majority member there for five years.
- Aubertine took credit for worker's compensation reform.
- Aubertine was a bit misleading when he mentioned that a group he formed to deal with continuum of care on health care has created assisted living in Watertown.
- Aubertine justified his support on the elimination of the STAR rebate checks to taxpayers by stating he could save the taxpayers $7 million dollars by not cutting the checks for STAR.
- Finally, Aubertine stated he favored "host community agreements" for wind farms, nuclear power plants, etc. You would have to assume he holds that same opinion for any real property improvement. To use Mr Aubertine's quote "There are a lot of things you want to think all the way through before your put it out there."
22 comments:
Aubertine says he favors host community benefits, but he's long preferred keeping utility rates high, and then taxing and redistributing the money as he sees fit. That's the basis of his energy plan.
I'd rather see utilities cut costs -- through lower taxes -- and use the savings to attract new business and new jobs.
Just a thought from a concerned citizen fed up with high taxes and electric bills.
Favored keeping utility rates high, c'mon! That is total crap. You guys gotta try better than that. Darrel saved 1000 jobs in St. Lawrence County be getting lower rates for Alcoa. A concerned citizen? ...Yeah right, named Dave Renzi. You lost the debate, Dave. Get over it.
Everyone knows, if IV thought it was a tie, Darrel must have creamed Renzi.
Actually he has said the circuit breaker would be administered as a tax credit so I'd say it won't cost more in administration because we're already paying enough people in our state to process our taxes.
So he misspoke about Assisted living but according the Watertown Daily Times, 30 beds were approved recently and members of the commission he spoke about last night are putting together the plan to make those beds a reality. Oops, he got ahead of himself.
And regarding the host agreements,you wrote "To use Mr Aubertine's quote "There are a lot of things you want to think all the way through before your put it out there." So how was this what you said he meant because I don't see it. I think that sounds like a measured approach.
That's all you have IV? Looks like a win for Darrel to me.
Nice to see that Darrel's staff has free time today
STAR or Circuit Breaker, Republican or Democrat...it really doesn't matter. The problem is out of control spending locally and in Albany. And, I agree with Dave's point- until spending is controlled, I'd rather have STAR rebate checks in the hands of taxpayers then in the hands of government.
With rising taxes, fuel, food, etc. families are dealing with tighter budgets, or at least trying. When will government be forced to do the same?
The problem I have with the Star Circut breaker is that it does nothing to force the schools to spend less. The problem I have with the Tax Cap is that it does not go far enough.
We need to force consolidation. We don't need 15-20 school superintendents in jefferson county, we need 1 and then building pricipals. There is a couple of million dollars in savings already.
The only thing certain about trying to watch and listen to that "debate/ Townhall whatever," was actually trying to listen to it.
The production was awful at first and very, very distracting.... I won't know how it ended up, but the first 20-30 minutes turned me off.
From what I heard, the two were well-prepared, but it was not a "debate" per se. And, that's what we need; not a love-fest or free-for-all, but an honest debate by a neutral moderator who knows what the word "debate" means.
Danny,
Mr. Renzi is the candidate that dictated the style and form.
He wanted 'Lincoln-Douglas'
unmoderated, unruled, programs.
He got just what he ordered.
My favorite form is the one that has unfiltered audience questions
mixed with moderator questions. The questions have to be answered within a set time limit and then a rebuttal if desired. The thing keeps moving.
and the showbiz quality of unanticipated questions is supurb.
I liked the style also. The streaming video was not working well IMHO
I liked the style also. The streaming video was not working well IMHO
Hey person with CAPS LOCK on. You clearly did not watch the debate, and you're operating off of Renzi's old Talking Points. Darrel the Farmer was more knowledgable, more coherent and heck of a lot more intelligent than Dave the attorney. Watch the tape. I know it is shocking. The "Dave is smarter" argument that this blog and Darrel-haters have been floating since February is now officially dead.
You talk alot about what Darrel said, but you say nothing about what Dave said. Is that because he didnt say a damn thing? That is what i got from him last night. That and the fact he is easily irritated.
The best you guys have is negative attacks of unfounded opinions or attacks based on inaccurate information. Ooh, CAPS like we don't know you're the same commenter as before because it's a different lettering.
By the way, weren't Lincoln Douglas debates just each guy reading a speech?
Darrel was disingenuous in spelling out his record. He says he passed more bills than other assemblymen, but his record shows only a meager percentage of his bills passed. He says he wants to limit bill introductions to 10 bills each member, but he's sponsord 30 -- and NONE of them passed.
He was referring to bills that he had passed in the Assembly compared to Bob Nortz who previously represented the NC. If you look at what Darrel was able to accomplish in 5 years compared to what Bob Nortz could do in 26 years you would be amazed.
Hey anon #2 -- I heard Darrel saved a million jobs in Jefferson County when he was on the county leg.
And he made the St. Lawrence River to reverse course, solved the Hoffa murder and can even change the future!
Nice try, TF. Like the typical Darrel-defender, you seek to deflect all blame for things even that your candidate didn't control.
I don't blame Renzi or even Aubertine for the faulty web-feed. That was organized by the Watertown Times. I'm sure they'r work out the kinks for the next seven that Darrel and Dave have agreed to hold.
But in your zeal to put up points for your guy, you ignore the fact that it was Renzi -- not Darrel -- who sought debates in the first place.
We get debates, and you complain about the timing, location, format and technology.
I suspect you really don't want a fair airing of your candidate's faults, and are secretly pleased by the difficulties that probably prevented a bunch of people from seeing/hearing them.
Nortz didn't represent the same district, Drew.
And his bill passage rate in the Assembly was mediocre -- it's nonexistent in the Senate!
Oh, I forgot, Joe Bruno took the ball and wouldn't let Darrel play. Ever heard of a 63?
Correct Nortz and Dede previously represented Darrels old Assembly district compare their legislation combined to Darrels, it is not even close. They havent came close to providing the representation that Darrel did.
You say that Darrel was "nonexistant" he was sworn in first week in March, session ended in June, how many bills can you possibly get through in that amount of time?
Ethics didn't enter into the debate...good thing for Darrel. How would he defend his wind turbine contracts while serving on the NYS Assembly Committee?
Actually, ethics did enter the debate. Renzi said something like people seeking elected office should be above reproach. Which is exactly why he is unfit for office. Renzi has yet to answer questions about his law firm's involvment in pension scam. And he has not addressed his own penion arrangement with the town of Henderson.
Post a Comment